Decision makers

Give Encarnacion Bail Romero Back Her Baby!

Two days ago, a Missouri judge ruled that a young Guatemalan woman who entered the United States illegally has no rights whatsoever to her son, Carlos or, as she called him when she last saw him four years ago, Carlitos. It looks like this ruling will allow adoption proceedings by Melinda and Seth Moser to go forward.

Encarnacion Bail Romero was arrested after a raid on a chicken processing plant and her baby boy -- 11 months old at the time -- was handed over to the Mosers as foster parents. Encarnacion has been fighting to get him back ever since. Carlos is now five years old.

The judge ruled that because Encarnacion had been put in jail that she had "abandoned" her baby, who was born in the US. The judge also ruled that entering the US illegally made her ipso facto unfit as a mother.

Encarnacion has not been allowed to see her baby since he was taken from her, and the latest judge in this case also determined that she can never see Carlos again.

Are the US courts now in the business of stealing babies from poor and defenseless women? Granted, she entered the US illegally but that in no way allows a judge and foster parents to take her child, argue that she is unfit as a mother and hand her over to be adopted by someone else.

Encarnacion was put at an extreme disadvantage during the court hearings because 1) her earlier lawyers were hired by the Mosers who just wanted to get her child away from her and 2) most if not all of the hearings were held only in English -- Encarnacion, who speaks little English, was not provided a translator.

This ruling is astoundingly cruel, unjust, unconstitutional, inhumane and beneath the dignity of the United States of America.

This petition is not a defense of illegal immigration -- it is simply a defense of a mother's right to keep her child. Encarnacion and Carlitos should have been sent back to Guatemala after she was caught -- the boy should not have been taken from her.

We the undersigned believe that Carlos should be immediately returned to his rightful mother, Encarnacion Bail Romero, and that all adoption proceedings should be stopped.

You can see on her face in the following link how much she has suffered at the hands of the Missouri legal system. Whatever one may think of illegal immigration, it's impossible not to moved by her plight and to want to correct this enormous injustice. The mother must be reunited with her child.

I just signed the following petition addressed to: Missouri Family Court.

----------------Give Encarnacion Bail Romero Back Her Baby

Two days ago, a Missouri judge ruled that a young Guatemalan woman who entered the United States illegally more than four years ago has no rights whatsoever to her son, Carlos. This ruling will allow adoption proceedings by Melinda and Seth Moser to go forward.

Encarnacion Bail Romero was arrested after a raid on a chicken processing plant and her baby boy -- 11 months old at the time -- was handed over to the Mosers as foster parents. Encarnacion has been fighting to get him back ever since. Carlos is now five years old.

The judge ruled that because Encarnacion was in jail she had "abandoned" her baby, who was born in the US. The judge also ruled that by entering the US illegally she was ipso facto unfit as a mother.

Encarnacion has not been allowed to see her baby since he was taken from her, and the latest judge in this case also determined that she can never see Carlos again.

Are the US courts now in the business of stealing babies from poor and defenseless women? Granted, she entered the US illegally but that in no way allows a judge to take her child, argue she is unfit as a mother and hand her over to be adopted by someone else.

These two wrongs in no way make a right. They could have easily sent them both back to Guatemala. Together. Mother and child.

Encarnacion was put at an extreme disadvantage during the court hearings because 1) her earlier lawyers were hired by the Mosers who clearly wanted her child and feel they can be better parents and 2) most if not all of the hearings were held only in English -- Encarnacion, who speaks little English, was not provided a translator.

This ruling is astoundingly cruel, unjust, unconstitutional, inhumane and beneath the dignity of the United States of America and all we claim to stand for.

We the undersigned believe that Carlos should be returned to his rightful mother, Encarnacion Bail Romero, and all adoption proceedings immediately stopped.----------------